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With the loss of some key players (by graduation and academic ineligibility) and a tougher schedule, we will have a tough time making a bowl game over the next couple of years IMO. Especially if we continue this type of play.

Yeah for awhile there I had real hope for this program, then the AFB started. Going to take some time to feel good about the program's direction again. 2011 could be another 1998 or 2007 for us (promising previous season ends with a gut-wrenching loss then pretty much torpedoes the following season).

It has been a fun 2 years. As long as SMU is in CUSA, 6-7 wins & a bowl appearance is very realistic.

I was about to post word for word what you just posted. We are an average team in a below average conference.

well, it's better than 1-11.

Next year people need to get a reality check. We had an easy schedule this year. The schedule is very difficult next year and other teams in our conference are only getting better. Tulsa is WAY better than us right now. Houston is a good team, So Miss, UCF, etc.

Kyle getting some competition will only help. He peaked in Hawaii and this offense doesn't look anything like a real Run N Shoot right now.

Sucks to sit here at the end of a season after a tough loss talking about how we think next year will be full of them. Depressing...

When do we get to expect year over year improvement? Why do we always have to settle for same as last year while other teams improve?

It's not that hard to win this conference. Anything less should not be acceptable, especially when the head coach makes $2-2.7 million.

Pony_Fan wrote:well, it's better than 1-11.

Next year people need to get a reality check. We had an easy schedule this year. The schedule is very difficult next year and other teams in our conference are only getting better. Tulsa is WAY better than us right now. Houston is a good team, So Miss, UCF, etc.

Kyle getting some competition will only help. He peaked in Hawaii and this offense doesn't look anything like a real Run N Shoot right now.

right.

Tulsa would have rolled UCF and Army both. They probably would beat Georgia as well.

I think this shows us just how bad we really were during those 1-11 years. We've had the good fortune to go to 2 minor bowl games, and all the development and fight etc etc has gotten us to where we are almost average. Reality check: Nevada a year ago was outmanned, ravaged by ineligible players, injury, shoplifting suspensions, and their d-coordinator had left. This year we pulled a rabbit out of the hat vs Tulane, had all kinds of help down the stretch and more often than not stared opportunity in the face and turned the other way.

Holman, Wilkerson, and Beasely next year. Who is the 4th guy?

RGV Pony wrote:

Pony_Fan wrote:well, it's better than 1-11.

Next year people need to get a reality check. We had an easy schedule this year. The schedule is very difficult next year and other teams in our conference are only getting better. Tulsa is WAY better than us right now. Houston is a good team, So Miss, UCF, etc.

Kyle getting some competition will only help. He peaked in Hawaii and this offense doesn't look anything like a real Run N Shoot right now.

right.

Tulsa would have rolled UCF and Army both. They probably would beat Georgia as well.

I think this shows us just how bad we really were during those 1-11 years. We've had the good fortune to go to 2 minor bowl games, and all the development and fight etc etc has gotten us to where we are almost average. Reality check: Nevada a year ago was outmanned, ravaged by ineligible players, injury, shoplifting suspensions, and their d-coordinator had left. This year we pulled a rabbit out of the hat vs Tulane, had all kinds of help down the stretch and more often than not stared opportunity in the face and turned the other way.

Holman, Wilkerson, and Beasely next year. Who is the 4th guy?

Der'rikk Thompson

03Mustang wrote:Sucks to sit here at the end of a season after a tough loss talking about how we think next year will be full of them. Depressing...

We haven't been given any reason to think differently.

we'll get better when the better recruits get here. We stole 3-4 games last year on special teams and turnovers. Really not that talented a team-look at who we struggled with this year. We will stair-step up along with the better recruiting. That's college football-Magic Pixie dust does not build a program

I think you guys are insane. Stallion is right, there is no way we should have had the record we did last year, we just made the most on special teams. This year, we were a better team all around, but lacked the explosive plays on offense, defense, and special teams.

Next year we will be much better. There is absolutely no doubt that we will be improved at the Offensive Line, Defensive Line, and Cornerback positions, the key positions on the team. Depth improves everywhere, except possibly linebacker. Hell, we could have nobody graduate from the rotation on either side of the line, and still replace three current starters on the OL before next season. The move of Ryan Smith that you saw today is because our red-shirted kids are really good at safety... even Banjo will be fighting for his spot.

We will be absolutely, no doubt, better next year, and will be fighting with Tulsa for the conference championship. CUSA sucks, we can all agree on that. But I really think we are a better team next year. But I am one of those "line play is important" guys, so having all those guys back gets me excited.

As for the WR question, yes, Thompson is praised by the coaches but is an unknown to us for replacing Robinson. But don't undersell Wilkerson coming back. DJ isn't gone for the fall for sure, and JJ should be ready to contribute, and Holman looks like a player. We will be fine.

At QB, for those worried about Padron, we will have three very good quarterbacks competing in Spring ball for the starting spot. We are going to be absolutely fine at QB.

The competition at every position on the field will be better this Spring than at any time in the past decade, and it will only bump up another notch when the recruits show up in the Fall.

The positions I am worried about are kicker (Loftus unproven), RILB and ROLB. Moreland will fill ROLB by midseason, but until then I am not sure how our guys will play. I am not sure who stands in at RILB (Henderson? Bordano). Those would be my question marks.

Of course, I would have Pope, Fields, and the frosh RB in the backfield and move Line to that ILB position and just be a mean beast on defense, but I admit, that is a crazy idea .

JasonB wrote:Of course, I would have Pope, Fields, and the frosh RB in the backfield and move Line to that ILB position and just be a mean beast on defense, but I admit, that is a crazy idea .

Agree with everything but this. I think we have found our RB - you need to keep maybe Pope back there and then move Fields to somewhere that he can use his athleticism (RGV mentioned olb)...he apparently can't pick up the block and that is a deal-killer for a RB in this system. Keep developing Pope, push Line to keep getting better, and get your athletes on the field.

Yeah.
I'm worried that if the offense doesn't do well that next year could be like 5 wins.

How do you worriers sleep at night? We will be better next year. Yes we have a tougher schedule but we were West Champions this year. We can put together a good season next year. We played 14 games this year. Only one other team in CUSA had as many. We are developing experience and depth.

Here is what I am worried about for the upcoming season. I have 8 months to drop the 20 pounds I gained back over the season so I can continue to indulge as I did this year. I have to get more exercise so the walk from the DART lot is not as taxing, especially in the September heat. We need to all sit back and realize the joy of college football and how nice it is to be [deleted] about how many wins and Championships and Bowls rather than feeling bad the one game missed during the year was the only win.

And most of all, comments and opinions of course are what make this site what it is but realize with all the [deleted] we do, we have no control over any of it on the field, so again, relax and enjoy the ride to an increasingly better team each year.

Thanks to all the Boulevarders that made the season a fun one and I am already looking forward to next year.